Dye package unloader

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for loading and/or removing, either before or after dyeing, yarn packages from a dyeing spindle table having package receiving spindles and a center post extending upward from a base whereby the loaded or unloaded spindle table is placed on a first frame and an arm moved vertically and rotated to a position engaging the center post to clamp the spindle table. The first frame and spindle table are then lifted above a second frame and rotated to a position in which the yarn packages slide off the individual spindles or to a position in which yarn packages can be placed on the individual spindles.

United States Patent [1 1 Franklin et al.

DYE PACKAGE UNLOADER Inventors: Burton P. Franklin; Kenneth Y.

Wang, both of Framingham, Mass.

Assignee: Burlington Industries, Inc.,

Greensboro, NC.

Filed: June 5, 1972 Appl. No.: 259,657

US. Cl 214/652, 57/52, 68/198, 214/152, 242/52 R, 214/654, 2l4/DIG. 3

Int. Cl B66f 9/18 Field of Search 57/52; 68/189, 198; 242/52 R; 214/313, 152, 652, 654, 653, 8, 1 Q, 1 A

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,024,929 3/1962 Shimmon 214/654 Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Oresky AttorneyJohn W. Malley et al.

[57] ABSTRACT Apparatus and method for loading and/or removing, either before or after dyeing, yarn packages from a dyeing spindle table having package receiving spindles and a center post extending upward from a base whereby the loaded or unloaded spindle table is placed on a first frame and an arm moved vertically and rotated to a position engaging the center post to clamp the spindle table. The first frame and spindle table are then lifted above a second frame and rotated to a position in which the yarn packages slide off the individual spindles or to a position in which yarn packages can be placed on the individual spindles.

18 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures meaeeo PAIENIED um 30 um sum 1 or 5 PAIENTEUHU 30 Ian 3; 7 68.68 0

SHEET 5 OF 5 DYE PACKAGE UNLOADER BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus and method for loading onto or removing yarn packages from a spindle table before or after dyeing.

Package dyeing of yarn is an old and time-tested method of dyeing small lots of yarn in a pressure vessel. The yarn is wound in cylindrical packages of all sizes and placed on a spindle table which is usually comprised of a base with a plurality of yarn package receiving spindles or stems extended upwardly from the base, and a center post likewise extending upwardly from the same base. Many spindles are higher than a man is tall and the base may be as much as six feet in diameter.

The loading and unloading of yarn packages to and from the individual spindles on the table is a slow and tedious operation which requires stooping andstretching by the operator in order to reach the yarn packages and to remove them from the tall stems or spindles of the table. In addition, the yarn packages and the metal parts of the spindle are usually hot enough from the dyeing liquid to cause slight burns when the operator's hands and arms come in contact with them.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for unloading yarn packages from spindles as well as loading on spindles which eliminate the need for manual loading and unloading and greatly simplify loading and unloading. In the embodiment described in detail below, the full or empty spindle table is placed on a base receiving portion of a first frame and clamped in place by an arm which is likewise associated with the first frame and which is moved vertically by a suitable hydraulic cylinder, as well as rotated, from a rest position to a position engaging the center post of the spindie table and clamping the table in position. The first frame together with the arm clamping the spindle in place and the spindle are then lifted vertically by hydraulic cylinders which are mounted on a second frame. As the spindle, first frame and arm are lifted to an elevated position, the entire frame and spindle are simultaneously rotated relative to the second frame to a position in which the yarn packages slide off the spindles or preferably can be slid off manually onto a suitable conveyor. By simultaneous lifting and rotating the spindle table, this invention can be utilized in textile environments with low ceilings.

Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed descriptionof the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a side view of the novel apparatus of this invention with a spindle table in place, but the spindles thereof removed for clarity in illustration.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrating the position to which the spindle table is rotated, permitting yarn packages to slide off or to be manually slid off the individual spindles.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the arm for clamping the center post of the spindle table and the mechanism for rotating that arm as it moves vertically.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a conventional yarn spindle table with a base, center post and package yarn receiving spindles.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view illustrating the chain drive for insuring that all parts of the frame on which the spindle table is mounted move vertically at the same rate.

FIG. 7 is a section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 along the lines 6 6 in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3 which illustrate three views of one embodiment of the novel invention ages can be manually slid off the stems onto a conveyor or any other suitable device for receiving them.

The particular device which is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 was designed to be used under a nine foot ceiling and the entire height of the unit itself was constructed to be only 8.5 feet tall. With only this small clearance the device satisfactorily operates for loading and unloading large spindle tables. To initiate the unloading or removing operation, a spindle table 20 such as can be seen in FIG. 1 with the stems removed for clarity in illustration iy placed on a rotatable base 22 of the unloader by any suitable means such as an overhead crane, fork lift or the like. Base 22 is stepped as shown to fit various diameters and styles of spindle table bases. Normally for unloading, the spindle table is placed on the rotating base immediately after it is removed from the dyeing vesselwith the hot dyed yarn packages on the spindles thereof.

FIG. 5 shows a typical spindle table 20 with a base portion 24, a center post 26 and a plurality of stems extending upwardly from base 24, such as stem 28, for each receiving a number of yarn packages for dyeing. As indicated'above, a spindle table 20 can be taller than a man and may be as much as six feet in diameter. After a spindle table 20 is placed with its base 24 on a rotating base member 22, which forms a portion of a first frame generally indicated as 30, an arm 32, likewise mounted on first frame 30, is rotated and moved vertically downward until conventional mushroom head 34 engages the end of center post 26 which is remote from base 24 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Frame 30 includes members 31, 33, 35 and 37 which may be constructed of conventional I beams as shown, and welded or otherwise held together. Arm 32, in addition to mushroom head 34, includes a horizontally extending member 36 which is attached to a vertically extending portion 38. Vertical portion 38 is disposed within a hollow cylindrical member 40 which likewise forms part of as horizontally extending portion 36 and head 34, I

through 90 degrees from a rest position to a position engaging center post 36 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

After spindle is firmly clamped in place between head 34 and base 22, frame 30 itself is elevated and rotated by means of hydrualic cylinders to a position where the yarn packages can be manually slid off the spindles, such as spindle 28 shown in FIG. 5. For this purpose, frame 30 is disposed within a second frame 50 and coupled to that frame by hydraulic lift cylinders for elevating frame 30 as well as spindle table 20 which is clamped thereon as described above. Frame 50 includes members 51, 53, 55 and 57. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a conventional hydraulic lift cylinder 54 is attached to member 51 of frame 50 and coupled to a platform 58 which in turn attaches to two vertical slider members 60 and 62 which are adapted for a vertical movement within guide rails 64 and 66 as can be best seen in FIG. 6. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, members 60 and 62 are conventional rollers which are adapted for rotation as cylinder 54 exerts a force on platform 58, moving the first frame 30 upwards with respect to second frame 50. A similar set of members, hydraulic cylinder, etc., are disposed at the opposite end of the apparatus and are indicated generally as 70 in the illustration of FIG. 3, and it will be understood that this structure at 70 is preferably the same as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 and described above.

Because the two hydraulic cylinders which lift opposite sides of frame 30 are normally mounted a considerable distance apart, the possibility of binding exists since hydraulic cylinders with this separation do not normally operate simultaneously. This problem is resolved according to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings of this application by chaining the main slider rise bearings together as shown in FIG. 7 so that they necessarily operate together. As can be seen in FIG. 7, cylinder 54 exerts an upward force on platform 58 as described above. Gear boxes 70 and 72 are coupled together by chains 74 and 76 which attach to opposite sides of platform 58. By means of conventional pulleys and chains, platform 58 is likewise coupled to a further platform 80 which forms part of the structure generally indicated as 70 in FIG. 3. This structure also includes a further lift cylinder 82 which, like cylinder 54, urges platform 80 upward. Chains 86 and 88 connect to opposite sides of platform 80 and are coupled to gear boxes 90 and 92 which are connected together as shown and which are coupled by the chain mechanism to platform 58 so that both platforms necessarily move upward at the same rate of speed and binding is prevented.

A conventional hydraulic cylinder is also mounted on platform 58 as can be seen in FIG. 2, and hydraulic rotator 100 is coupled by a shaft 102 which can be seen in FIG. 3 to frame 30, so that when frame 30 is in its elevated position or preferably during elevation, hy-

tire frame 30 together with the spindle mounted on it to rotate as illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 2 to a posi-' tion slightly below the horizontal in which the yarn packages can slide off the stems onto a conveyor or any other suitable device.

Wet packages falling substantial distances are often damaged by the impact. Accordingly, it is desirable to tilt the table only slightly below horizontal so that the operator can give each package a gentle push in turn so that they slide off onto a collector or conveyor positioned directly below the end of that spindle and the packages do not fall through any significant distance. Preferably, base 22 is rotated to bring the individual spindles successively into position near the operator and conveyor.

When the yarn spindles have slid off their stems, the above operations can be reversed, and the empty spindle returned to its initial position and unloaded at which time a new freshly loaded spindle table can be replaced on the apparatus and the above steps repeated to unload that spindle. In operation, it has been found that spindles can be quickly and efficiently unloaded in this fashion.

The same apparatusan also be used to efficiently load the spindle table. To accomplish loading the above steps are carried out with an empty table except that the table is rotated to a slight angle above horizontal so that the yarn packages can be simply slid in turn onto the individual spindles in turn as the base 22 is rotated. After unloading the same table can be simply rotated to a tilted position slightly above horizontal and then manually loaded.

Any suitable hydraulic circuits can be used for supplying pressure to the various cylinders described above for the clamping, lifting and rotating operations.

These steps can be carried out one at a time, for example, through use of a control panel 106 shown in FIG. 1 or automatically through the use of simple logic circuits which detect when one operation has been completed and the next can be initiated. Such hydraulic and electrical circuitry is conventional in the art and no further description of the same is believed necessary or appropriate.

The basic frame members which comprise frames 30 and'32 are preferably constructed of channel iron and structural I beams which are suitable to the load requirement. The particular embodiment which has been constructed was designed to load at least 2000 lbs, and lift frame 30 three inches to two feet off the floor making the apparatus particularly useful with a low ceiling. Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can be made without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, that scope is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for removing a plurality of yarn packages from or loading a plurality of yarn packages onto a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising:

a first frame,

means on said first frame for receiving the base of a spindle table,

arm means on said first frame for receiving the end of said center post remote from said spindle base,

means for causing said base receiving means and arm means to move relative to each other to clamp said spindle between said arm means and said base receiving means,

a second frame,

means connecting said first and second frames for causing relative movement between said first and second frames to'lift said first frame and said spindle table to an elevated position above said second frame and mushroom hydraulic means for causing, simultaneously with lifting, rotation of said first frame and said spindle table in said elevated position to an elevated tilted position so that the yarn packages will slide off said spindles.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said causing means includes means for moving said arm means vertically and means for simultaneously causing rotation of said arm means to a position engaging said end of said center post remote from said base.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said second frame includes first and second pairs of vertically extending guide rails and base members connecting the rails in each pair to each other and the first and second pairs together and wherein said connecting means includes first and second members each engaging the guide rails of one of said pairs for vertical movement relative to the engaged guide rails and means connecting each of said first and second members to said first frame.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said connecting means further includes first and second hydraulic lift cylinders each connected between a base member of said second frame and said first and second members respectively for exerting a force on said first and second members to cause relative vertical movement.

5. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said connecting means includes chain drive means attached to each of said first and second members for causing said first and second members to move vertically at the same speed.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said first and second members each include first and second vertical members each engaging a guide rail and a cross bar connecting said first and second vertical members.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said arm means includes a cylindrical portion extending vertically from said first frame, a horizontal portion extending from the end of said vertical portion remote from said first frame and a muchroom head on the end of said horizontal portion remote from said vertical portion for receiving said center post and wherein said clamp causing means includes a hollow cylindrical member for receiving said vertical portion of said arm means and having a spiral groove in the exterior surface thereof, a hydraulic cylinder connected to said first frame, bearing means for coupling said hydraulic cylinder to said vertical portion for vertically moving said vertical portion within said hollow cylindrical member and cam means on said vertical portion engaging said groove in the exterior surface of said hollow cylindrical member for causing rotation of said vertical portion, said horizontal portion and said head as said vertical portion is moved vertically within said hollow cylindrical member by said hydrualic cylinder.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for rotating said table about said center post.

9. A method of removing after dyeing a plurality of yarn packages from a yarn spindle table having a base,

plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising:

clamping said spindle table in a frame between an arm engaging the center post and a frame portion receiving the base,

lifting the clamped spindle table to an elevated position, and

simultaneously rotating the clamped spindle table in said elevated position to a position to said yarn packages will slide off said spindles.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said step of clamping includes the step of rotating said arm while moving said arm vertically to a position engaging said center post.

11. A method as in claim 9 including the further step of rotating said table about said center post.

12. A method as in claim 9 including the further steps of manually removing said packages from said spindles.

13. A method of removing after dyeing a plurality of yarn packages from a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of stems extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising the steps of:

placing the base of a loaded spindle table on a first frame,

moving the portion of said first frame on which said base is placed and an arm means mounted on said first frame relative to each other to clamp said spindle table between said arm means and said portion on which said base is placed,

causing relative movement between said first frame and a second frame to lift said first frame and said spindle table to an elevated position, above said second frame, and

rotating, with respect to said second frame and simultaneously with said causing, said first frame and said spindle table in said elevated position to an elevated tilted position in which the yarn packages will slide off said spindles.

14. Apparatus for removing after dyeing a plurality of yarn packages from a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising:

means for clamping said spindle table in a frame between an arm engaging the center post and frame portion receiving the base,

means for lifting the clamped spindle table to an elevated position, and

means for rotating the clamped spindle table in said elevated position to a position so that said yarn packages will slide off said spindles.

15. A method of loading a plurality of yarn packages onto a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising:

clamping said spindle table in a frame between an arm engaging the center post and a frame portion receiving the base,

lifting the clamped spindle table to an elevated position,

simultaneously rotating the clamped spindle table in said elevated position to a position with the spindles extending from said base at an angle above the spindles.

18. A method as in claim 9 wherein said step of clamping includes the step of rotating said arm while moving said arm vertically to a position engaging said center post.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 7 680 Dated OctQbeI' 3 973 Inventor) Burton P. Franklin and Kenneth Y. Wang It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 3 L, change "iy" to --is--.

Column 2, line #6, after "above" delete "a".

Column 3,-line l6, delete "hydrua lic" and insert --hydraulic--.

Column 5, line 11, delete words "mushroom hydraulic".

Column 5, line L8, change "muchroom" to --mushroom--.

Column 5, lines 63-6 change "hydrualic" to --hydraulic--.

Column 6, line 10, change "to" (second occurance) to --so-.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of June 19714..

(SEAL) Attest:

.EWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-OSO (10-69) USCCMWOC 603", PM

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1. Apparatus for removing a plurality of yarn packages from or loading a plurality of yarn packages onto a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising: a first frame, means on said first frame for receiving the base of a spindle table, arm means on said first frame for receiving the end of said center post remote from said spindle base, means for causing said base receiving means and arm means to move relative to each other to clamp said spindle between said arm means and said base receiving means, a second frame, means connecting said first and second frames for causing relative movement between said first and second frames to lift said first frame and said spindle table to an elevated position above said second frame and means for causing, simultaneously with lifting, rotation of said first frame and said spindle table in said elevated position to an elevated tilted position so that the yarn packages will slide off said spindles.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said causing means includes means for moving said arm means vertically and means for simultaneously causing rotation of said arm means to a position engaging said end of said center post remote from said base.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said second frame includes first and second pairs of vertically extending guide rails and base members connecting the rails in each pair to each other and the first and second pairs together and wherein said connecting means includes first and second members each engaging the guide rails of one of said pairs for vertical movement relative to the engaged guide rails and means connecting each of said first and second members to said first frame.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said connecting means further includes first and second hydraulic lift cylinders each connected between a base member of said second frame and said first and second members respectively for exerting a force on said first and second members to cause relative vertical movement.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said connecting means includes chain drive means attached to each of said first and second members for causing said first and second members to move vertically at the same speed.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said first and second members each include first and second vertical members each engaging a guide rail and a cross bar connecting said first and second vertical members.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said arm means includes a cylindrical portion extending vertically from said first frame, a horizontal portion extending from the end of said vertical portion remote from said first frame and a mushroom head on the end of said horizontal portion remote from said vertical portion for receiving said center post and wherein said clamp causing means includes a hollow cylindrical member for receiving said vertical portion of said arm means and having a spiral groove in the exterior surface thereof, a hydraulic cylinder connected to said first frame, bearing means for coupling said hydraulic cylinder to said vertical portion for vertically moving said vertical portion within said hollow cylindrical member and cam means on said vertical portion engaging said groove in the exterior surface of said hollow cylindrical member for causing rotation of said vertical portion, said horizontal portion and said head as said vertical portion is moved vertically within said hollow cylindrical member by said hydraulic cylinder.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for rotating said table about said center post.
 9. A method of removing after dyeing a plurality of yarn packages from a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising: clamping said spindle table in a frame between an arm engaging the center post and a frame portion receiving the base, lifting the clamped spindle table to an elevated position, and simultaneously rotating the clamped spindle table in said elevated position to a position so said yarn packages will slide off said spindles.
 10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said step of clamping includes the step of rotating said arm while moving said arm vertically to a position engaging said center post.
 11. A method as in claim 9 including the further step of rotating said table about said center post.
 12. A method as in claim 9 including the further steps of manually removing said packages from said spindles.
 13. A method of removing after dyeing a plurality of yarn packages from a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of stems extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising the steps of: placing the base of a loaded spindle table on a first frame, moving the portion of said first frame on which said base is placed and an arm means mounted on said first frame relative to each other to clamp said spindle table between said arm means and said portion on which said base is placed, causing relative movement between said first frame and a second frame to lift said first frame and said spindle table to an elevated position, above said second frame, and rotating, with respect to said second frame and simultaneously with said causing, said first frame and said spindle table in said elevated position to an elevated tilted position in which the yarn packages will slide off said spindles.
 14. Apparatus for removing after dyeing a plurality of yarn packages from a yarn spindLe table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising: means for clamping said spindle table in a frame between an arm engaging the center post and frame portion receiving the base, means for lifting the clamped spindle table to an elevated position, and means for rotating the clamped spindle table in said elevated position to a position so that said yarn packages will slide off said spindles.
 15. A method of loading a plurality of yarn packages onto a yarn spindle table having a base, plurality of spindles extending upward from said base for receiving yarn packages and a center post extending upward from said base comprising: clamping said spindle table in a frame between an arm engaging the center post and a frame portion receiving the base, lifting the clamped spindle table to an elevated position, simultaneously rotating the clamped spindle table in said elevated position to a position with the spindles extending from said base at an angle above the horizontal and manually placing said packages on said spindles.
 16. A method as in claim 15 including the further step of rotating said table about said center post.
 17. A method as in claim 15 including the further steps of manually removing said packages from said spindles.
 18. A method as in claim 9 wherein said step of clamping includes the step of rotating said arm while moving said arm vertically to a position engaging said center post. 